Gulf Coast Fisherman Magazine Vol 41; No. 4 - FALL 2017 | Page 3

Our Readers Write The folowing letter was to our Department Editor Colby Sorrells. Hello Mr. Sorrells, I’m a reader of your column “Tackle Time” in Gulf Coast Fisherman magazine and wanted to suggest a topic. I would like you to consider writing a piece about converting from treble hooks to single hooks on plugs. I first read about this in Plugger by Rudy Grigar and didn’t think too much of it. Lately, (during the few times that I actually do get to get out and fish) I’ve started to notice the number of fish that end up with the additional treble hook dug into an eye or gills (besides the one in their mouth). Look at the fish on the cover of this summer’s issue of Gulf Coast Fisherman. This hookset makes survival tough on undersized fish. A number of hook manufacturers are marketing “single replacement hook” with a large eye (to give free rotation around the split ring). Please think this over. Best Regards, Paul Wallace Took my son and grandson to Port Aransas,TX for a fishing trip the weekend of August 12, 2017. We stopped and got some live shrimp and frozen mullet because the kids left my casting net behind. They took me to a ferry boat on N. Tarpon that took us across to the jetties. From there we walked about 100 yards to the beach and started wade fishing for reds or trout with no luck. After a couple of hours we went to the jetties and started on the frozen mullet. Within 15 minutes we were bringing in small black tip sharks. The biggest one was 42 inches caught by my grandson Isaiah Rameriz age 12 years old. Alex Aleman San Antonio, TX Send us a picture of your catch of the day with a brief explanation identifying who, what, when and where so we can feature you in “Our Readers Write”. [email protected] Gulf Coast Fisherman, PO Box 8, Port Lavaca, TX 77979 Thanks for your note. Glad to hear from someone that is as interested in hooks as I am. I did an article on using single hooks titled “Hooks How Many Do You Need?” in the Spring 2006 issue of Gulf Coast Fisherman. That’s a long time ago now! Maybe it’s time to revisit the subject. One thing anglers can do to help release fish more easily is to bend down the barb on their hooks. The barb was originally designed to hold natural bait on the hook. I have found it is especially important to bend down the barbs on lures with multiple treble hooks. By bending down the barb the hook easily backs out without any further damage to the fish. And, there’s an added bonus, if the hook happens to catch some human skin. It comes out a lot easier than a hook with the barbs left up. Certainly, using single hook lures when casting to schooling fish is a good option. Thank you for your readership and I hope you get out there and catch some fish soon. Colby Sorrells Tackle Time Editor Hello. I thought this might be interesting for you to publish during red snapper season. My son, Mathew Grant, caught an enormous red snapper this past June in Port Aransas, TX. It turns out to be the biggest red snapper caught at Woodys, in Port Aransas of 2017. The snapper weighed in at 24 lbs and Mathew needed thehelp of Captain Arthur Serrano to reel it in. Mathew is 17 and attends King High School in Corpus Christi, Texas and plays football. Latysha Grant Order Now! 2018 Annual Advance Planning Wall Calendar! See order form located on the inside back cover of this issue of Gulf Coast Fisherman. OCTOBER • NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2 0 1 7 3